What level of realism do you regularly play? [Archive]

sharkbit

08-17-10, 08:30 AM

The difficulty I play at is somewhere in the upper eighties.(I hate the term "realism settings" in this case-a better term is "difficulty settings".)

Map contacts on, external view on-I like the purty pictures.

Like frau said though, anybody can tweek the files and play at 100% with everything unchecked if they want to. The advantage in that is you can get full renown credit for the ships you sink. IIRC, the renown for each ship is multiplied by your difficulty setting and that amount is credited to your renown.

:)

JEuler

08-17-10, 08:53 AM

100 % and absolutely nothing less!No map contact update,DiD.

Once you get to full realism there's no way back!Sinking a lone ship is a big challenge, not to mention convoy attacks.

But I must admit that the external cam is on, just to take screenshots, I do not use it to get any kind of tactical advantage.

Kapt Z

08-17-10, 10:05 AM

Right now I just have 'weapons officer' tagged so it works out to be 94%.

I am tempted to go back to 'external cam' now that I have a decent computer and can enjoy the scenery.:woot:

FIREWALL

08-17-10, 10:27 AM

External cam for screenshots and just looking at all the kool stuff.

I spend an average of 4 hrs a day playing SH3\GWX my favorite sim.

The best part for me is stalking a convoy.

U777

08-17-10, 12:44 PM

48-49%, The WE does calculations till I get a hang of the TDC, external cam enabled for looking at cool events up close and to admire the boat, limited batteries, diesel, O2, and compressed air, realistic repair and ship sinking times, and a few more times checked.

sergei

08-17-10, 12:49 PM

Somewhere in the 80s-90s.

External cam on, scope stabilisation on, WEPS assistance on.

CherryHarbey

08-17-10, 01:13 PM

84% at the moment, still being helped by Map contact updates, WE assistance and not doing manual data collection. Least I think that is what the unticked boxes are called, I've being using these setting for some time.
I guess I should step it up now but I worry that I'll just spend all my time taking bearings and drawing lines on map myself.

Gerald

08-17-10, 01:21 PM

External cam for screenshots and just looking at all the kool stuff.

I spend an average of 4 hrs a day playing SH3\GWX my favorite sim.

The best part for me is stalking a convoy. Only Curious.... :hmmm:
http://imgur.com/ZPdvM.jpg

RConch

08-17-10, 02:00 PM

I play at 90% and DID.

Jimbuna

08-17-10, 02:32 PM

I had to guess because I've edited the relevant files so the game thinks I'm always at 99% realism, lol. But I think the "honest" number was around 68% before I did that and I don't remember unchecking any options since then.

I wonder where you learned that trick from? :hmmm::DL

Having 'doctored' the relevant files I am able to play at 99% and keep external view enabled for screenshot purposes....plus the ability to teleport back to base.

frau kaleun

08-17-10, 02:35 PM

I wonder where you learned that trick from? :hmmm::DL

Having 'doctored' the relevant files I am able to play at 99% and keep external view enabled for screenshot purposes....plus the ability to teleport back to base.

:up:

I actually had them edited to give me 100% realism at one point... until Sailor Steve mentioned that he only ever tweaked it up to 99% because, and I quote, "what if I lose my rudder, man?"

And I thought to myself... what if I lose my rudder? And I tweaked it back down to 99%. :yeah:

Herr-Berbunch

08-17-10, 02:44 PM

Oh you cheating buggers, I thought this forum was full of realism-to-the-max kaluens! :nope:

Which file is it? :D

frau kaleun

08-17-10, 03:01 PM

I think it's a section of the basic.cfg file.

I use one of the files in Commander to overwrite that section of the basic.cfg but I can't remember offhand which one it is. There's a file in Commander that's there just for that purpose if you want to use it - I think the default version of it makes no edits, but you can use it to overwrite sections of the basic.cfg each time you load the game via Commander.

I use it to tweak the requirements for medals and badges too altho I haven't got that worked out to my satisfaction - next career will see some more experimentation with that as well.

Is it 'static settings.cfg'? I think that's it. Look for it in your Commander folder.

Anyway there's a section of the basic.cfg (game file) - I think that's the right file - that assigns a percentage to each realism option. Just scroll down the file, should be obvious which section it is.

If you make any one option you always have checked worth 99%, you will always be playing at 99%. I think I have Limited Fuel at 99 and, since targeting assistance will prolly be the last thing to go for me, manual targeting (or whatever it's called) is worth 1. Everything else has a value of 0. So as long as I have Limited Fuel checked and leave manual targeting unchecked, the game shows me at 99% realism no matter what other options I select or deselect.

Anyway I think that's how it works - it's not complicated once you find the right section to tweak, it'll be kinda obvious. But the total of all values you give to each option, must be 100 when you're finished!

As noted I use that file in Commander to overwrite the game default, it has instructions at the top for how to make it overwrite only certain sections of the basic.cfg, you can even make different tweaks for different time periods if you like.

Jimbuna

08-17-10, 03:07 PM

Oh you cheating buggers, I thought this forum was full of realism-to-the-max kaluens! :nope:

Which file is it? :D

If you really want to know....just say :yep:

Capt. Morgan

08-17-10, 05:28 PM

I am usually somewhere in the high 70's. I don't mind the renown-hit since even a so-so Kaptain like me can bring home bigger tonnages than Gunther Prien.:smug:

Manual targeting on, W.O. assistance on - used only to identify targets, external camera on - only for sigh-seeing, stabilized view on - 'cause I can't use any of the RF's without it (and even then, the accuracy is dubious).

Map contacts is also on although I do use the Realistic Contacts mod (it does not show any ships above a certain zoom level which really cuts down on the instant situational-awareness factor of the stock map view).

The other reason I don't mind the renown hit is that I (cough - cough) pay myself back the renown that any major upgrade would cost me. Sorry, but I like to keep my medals and my rank.

Sailor Steve

08-17-10, 11:55 PM

Oh you cheating buggers, I thought this forum was full of realism-to-the-max kaluens! :nope:

Which file is it? :D
Data/Cfg/Gameplay Settings. At the bottom is a block called [RealismPercentage]

Here's how I have mine set.

[RealismPercentage]
LimitedBatteriesRealismPercentage=10
LimitedCompressedAirRealismPercentage=10
LimitedO2RealismPercentage=10
LimitedFuelRealismPercentage=10
RealisticVulnerabilityRealismPercentage=10
RealisticRepairTimeRealismPercentage=10
RealisticShipSinkingTimeRealismPercentage=9
ManualTargetingSystemRealismPercentage=0
NoMapUpdateRealismPercentage=0
RealisticSensorsRealismPercentage=10
DudTorpedoesRealismPercentage=10
RealisticReloadRealismPercentage=10
NoEventCameraRealismPercentage=0
NoExternalViewRealismPercentage=0
NoStabilizeViewRealismPercentage=0
NoNoiseMeterRealismPercentage=0
NoWeaponOfficerAssistRealismPercentage=0

One note: I'm an odd duck. I set it that way because I play realistically in other areas http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=168479 .

So while I edit my renown to get the max, I pretty much never use it. I always get bottom-of-the-barrel unqualified crew. Replacement crew come through SH3 Commander, so it doesn't matter one way or the other. The only equipment upgrade I've ever bought was the rotating hydrophone setup, and only because at a certain point they all had it.

Badger Finn

08-18-10, 12:24 AM

95% DID

Tweaked my files as well I like scoping out the boat and cant be bothered flicking through the recognition manual apart from that its a case of...

"Whats going on up there?" or "Where the hell am I!"

Flaxpants

08-18-10, 12:36 AM

BulSoldier

08-18-10, 02:37 AM

I play around 90% . I have external camera for screenshots and contacts update since , well i just prefer it that way :)

Oh yeah, also every boat and upgrade costs 1 renown.

pickinthebanjo

08-18-10, 07:54 AM

I play with arpund 80%, with map contacts, and event camera (for screenshots)

Feridun

08-18-10, 11:52 AM

I am playing "stock" SH3 (v1.4b) with 2 Careers.
One of them 100% Realism only for long weekends and holidays.
The other one between 45-60% after work for quick patrols :)

Sailor Steve

08-18-10, 12:38 PM

Call me a sissy if you like, but as I'm fairly new to this I'm playing currently on 52%. I have the map contacts on (and will continue to do so until I get the hang of range finding). I have WE assist off and manual TDC on. I do like the external camera though, I don't think I'll ever lose that- I like the feeling of being in an interactive movie. Plus I want to check out all the cool models!
You're a sissy if you like!
:rotfl2:

What does that mean, anyway?

Most of us encourage everyone to play the way that suits them best. The only time I ever get critical of someone is when they come around bragging about million-ton patrols, which they could only get playing on the easier levels.

Easy levels: Cool.

Bragging about how good you are while playing on the easy levels: Not so much.

timmy41

08-18-10, 05:26 PM

i played my last campaign at 87% or so and died 3 times. i just started another now that im better at IDing ships and basic tactics, at 100% DiD.

Alpha Von Burg

08-18-10, 09:08 PM

I play from 80% to 90%, with manual TDC off. I have tried manual TDC but most of the time I miss by a few seconds.
I also somtimes have external view just to get a good look at my u-boat :D.

Flaxpants

08-18-10, 11:23 PM

You're a sissy if you like!
:rotfl2:

What does that mean, anyway?

Cheers Steve! It means something along the lines of 'A big Jessie', or a 'girls' blouse' that kind of thing..... :haha: Must be a british word then, thought it was a universal insult!

Obelix

08-18-10, 11:38 PM

I regularly played with level of realism about 90%, left only help torpedoman.

HW3

08-19-10, 01:26 AM

I play at 80-90% with my file tweaked to 99%. I've got to be able to see, and admire, all the destruction I cause.:D

himlaviz

08-19-10, 01:27 AM

90-99% I guess.

Weapon Officer - On (always)
External Camera - On (sometimes not)

I like the weapon officer option as it feels more "realistic" then a red/yellow/green triangle in my periscope.

Jimbuna

08-19-10, 03:01 AM

Data/Cfg/Gameplay Settings. At the bottom is a block called [RealismPercentage]

Here's how I have mine set.

[RealismPercentage]
LimitedBatteriesRealismPercentage=10
LimitedCompressedAirRealismPercentage=10
LimitedO2RealismPercentage=10
LimitedFuelRealismPercentage=10
RealisticVulnerabilityRealismPercentage=10
RealisticRepairTimeRealismPercentage=10
RealisticShipSinkingTimeRealismPercentage=9
ManualTargetingSystemRealismPercentage=0
NoMapUpdateRealismPercentage=0
RealisticSensorsRealismPercentage=10
DudTorpedoesRealismPercentage=10
RealisticReloadRealismPercentage=10
NoEventCameraRealismPercentage=0
NoExternalViewRealismPercentage=0
NoStabilizeViewRealismPercentage=0
NoNoiseMeterRealismPercentage=0
NoWeaponOfficerAssistRealismPercentage=0

One note: I'm an odd duck. I set it that way because I play realistically in other areas http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=168479 .

So while I edit my renown to get the max, I pretty much never use it. I always get bottom-of-the-barrel unqualified crew. Replacement crew come through SH3 Commander, so it doesn't matter one way or the other. The only equipment upgrade I've ever bought was the rotating hydrophone setup, and only because at a certain point they all had it.

Why all the hard work? :DL

Simply change two and the job is done much quicker and if you really want to cheat it won't matter what you've got enabled or otherwise :sunny:

[RealismPercentage]
LimitedBatteriesRealismPercentage=99
LimitedCompressedAirRealismPercentage=0
LimitedO2RealismPercentage=0
LimitedFuelRealismPercentage=0
RealisticVulnerabilityRealismPercentage=0
RealisticRepairTimeRealismPercentage=0
RealisticShipSinkingTimeRealismPercentage=0
ManualTargetingSystemRealismPercentage=0
NoMapUpdateRealismPercentage=0
RealisticSensorsRealismPercentage=0
DudTorpedoesRealismPercentage=0
RealisticReloadRealismPercentage=0
NoEventCameraRealismPercentage=0
NoExternalViewRealismPercentage=0
NoStabilizeViewRealismPercentage=0
NoNoiseMeterRealismPercentage=0
NoWeaponOfficerAssistRealismPercentage=1

This way you have a choice of 99>100%

Sailor Steve

08-19-10, 09:01 AM

Why all the hard work? :DL
Umm, the usual reason - I'm stupid.

Herr-Berbunch

08-19-10, 09:11 AM

The respect I've had for Jim, Frau, and Steve has all gone out the window now I know you all cheat. 'Tis a sad day :wah:

Next you'll all be saying you have the deck gun that has one million hit-points or a boat with none?

So which settings is it again...? Data/Cfg/Gameplay...
http://images.zaazu.com/img/male31-male-smiley-whistle-smiley-emoticon-000073-medium.gif

frau kaleun

08-19-10, 09:14 AM

Next you'll all be saying you have the deck gun that has one million hit-points or a boat with none?

Perish the thought! That would just be silly.

But I do have a gun crew with frickin' laser beams on their heads.

Herr-Berbunch

08-19-10, 09:24 AM

Perish the thought! That would just be silly.

But I do have a gun crew with frickin' laser beams on their heads.

What else did Josef Mengele experiment with...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PPSRNqKGmMo/S37dKMHdx7I/AAAAAAAAAgU/cLa0dQvN6DI/s400/Baby+Laser+Eye.jpg

flag4

08-19-10, 10:24 AM

i play at - i think, 79%. i dont actually know.
last week i made it real easy so my son could just turn-up-n-shoot.
wanted him to like it: last week he found a large branch near the resevoir and said 'dad. make me a u boat.'
anyway. i keep external cam on coz i love to watch. and i dont use it to, er, cheat...no sir'eee - not me!!

red sun at night:

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9469/sh3img118201017161u.png

Fader_Berg

08-20-10, 02:52 AM

100% and hitman's gui. No external camera and fancy stuff... just... interior and scope.

rea00cy

08-20-10, 03:10 AM

Most of the times, I play with the external camera enabled. To play with new GUIs or any other high realism settings that I need to get familiar with or train for a while I step down a little

Sailor Steve

08-20-10, 06:51 AM

The respect I've had for Jim, Frau, and Steve has all gone out the window now I know you all cheat. 'Tis a sad day :wah:
I've never said I was any good at the game. I stink at math, I can't think on my feet or anticipate the enemy's moves, and I can barely keep ahead of my own thought processes. Even with the things I have turned on I still get mediocre tonnage scores. This is why my favorite pastime is cruising around the harbor looking at the sights.

Next you'll all be saying you have the deck gun that has one million hit-points or a boat with none?
Not at all. I may not play at 100% realism, but I like my experience to feel real.

So which settings is it again...? Data/Cfg/Gameplay...
http://images.zaazu.com/img/male31-male-smiley-whistle-smiley-emoticon-000073-medium.gif
It's okay - nobody has any respect for you anyway.:O:
:rotfl2:

Jimbuna

08-20-10, 07:01 PM

Snestorm

08-27-10, 04:10 AM

100%. No map contacts, no WE, no nothing.
Don't carry external reloads, and generaly don't score very high by subsim standards.

Although I have never used external view, I'm grateful for those that do.
The screen shots they/you provide is the only way I've ever seen how cool things look from the outside.

To those that do, use external view, thank you.

Flaxpants

08-27-10, 05:00 AM

Well I've now put mine up to 64% on account of losing the sub 'visibility' meter, never paid much attention to it anyway. For me it's a question of getting a balance between the realism and the kind of game I want to play.

Zedwardson

08-27-10, 09:24 AM

I aim for a fun, realistic game, and right now I am at 43 percent, but I could easily bump it up as

1) I should turn off unlimited fuel, as my patrols are generally short.

Basicily, I have the Auto-ID (I pretend that its the weapon officer going though the book and IDing the ship) and external camera (to do screenshots, and to watch if my eels hit on big ships.) and I have the "Alert" to give me hints on how exposed I am (I say that is the XO giving me warnings)

However, I play with all externals and other long term storage as Type 1 Steam torps, never reload the externals except in "deck gun weather" where I am on the surface at slow speed and cannot dive.

Since I am starting to get the hang of the game, after my current guy gets KIA or survives the war, I will be limiting my fuel and have the "realistic sink time" and perhaps "Realistic torp load time"

Hans Uberman

08-27-10, 09:46 AM

Don't carry external reloads
Out of curiosity, why is that?

Sucrose

08-27-10, 11:53 AM

100% all the way for me. Anything less just feels wrong. It makes the game so much more exhilarating that way.

Sometimes I'll turn on the external camera while screwing around with new mods or whatever, but never while I'm on campaign. As a result, I always end up hanging around with my periscope sticking out of the water for far too long so I can stare at the pretty explosions and burning ships, and then I get spotted and shot to pieces.

I'm not a very good kaleun...

Sailor Steve

08-27-10, 12:52 PM

:rotfl2:

WELCOME ABOARD, Sucrose! :sunny:

Snestorm

08-28-10, 02:15 AM

Out of curiosity, why is that?

Most boats did not carry them early war.
Example: "Expended all torpedoes. There were 12 in all." Otto Kretchmer U99.
Hardegen U123 carried no externals during Operation Drumbeat.

Late war: Only the IXD2 bound for distant waters carried them (as in resupply for Operation Monsoon boats).
Late war VIICs did not even carry the 2 internal "extra reserve" torpedoes.
(8 bow + 2 stern = 10 in all)

But, the biggest reason I do it, is it gives me more historicaly correct tonnage, and it makes me earn it. Each boat gets it's own carreer, which in terms of tonnage generaly comes within realistic numbers. (I try to retrace historical patrol routes).

It can be interesting to have something like a IX(A) competing with a VIIB.
(Without external reloads, each carries 12 torpedoes!)

For me personaly, it's just about how late into the war I can survive DID from war's start.
(If I retire a boat to school status, the next boat starts with 0 GRT.)

sharkbit

08-28-10, 02:42 PM

IRL aircraft played a huge role. With the ever present air patrols, especially after the Atlantic Gap was closed and patrols were present there as well, sitting on the surface loading externals was probably a high risk bet with boat and crew. Probably better to save the weight for more useful payload.

I wonder how many boats were caught on the surface by aircraft while reloading externals?

:)

melnibonian

08-29-10, 02:11 AM

I wonder how many boats were caught on the surface by aircraft while reloading externals?

That I don't know, but aircraft were responsible for the majority of U-Boat sinkings during the war.

Hans Uberman

08-29-10, 08:33 AM

I've been patrolling deeper in the Atlantic, and far away from land, so I don't think the external reloads are nearly the risk that they might be closer to England and later in the war. I may just abandon their use for the sake of realism later, if I am put more on the defensive near home. I like your idea for added realism! Thanks.

timmy41

08-29-10, 01:44 PM

Hans Uberman

08-29-10, 02:14 PM

Ive decided to turn external view on again, simply because I like getting screenshots so much. although I only limit myself to using it in situation when it would not give me any information I do not already know, like say, the sinking of a single ship I already have a visual on.
It's nice to have memories to keep track of what you've done in past patrols. This is why I altered the realism settings so I can use the external camera without losing any percentage. I only use it to immortalize some of the scenery I've visited and occasional killshots. Self-control handles the rest, and validates my editing the settings.

Sucrose

08-29-10, 02:47 PM

:rotfl2:

WELCOME ABOARD, Sucrose! :sunny:
Thank you Sailor Steve! :salute:

Actually I lied about using 100% realism. I just remembered that I was using one of those assisted plotting mods that let me play on 100% with map contacts enabled at the same time. I just turned it off though.

It's so much more difficult now even though I'm only in August 1940. Also, I made it even harder for myself by editing the en_menu.txt and turning off the watch officer's superhuman range-finding abilities. :)

Simdude

07-20-15, 02:06 PM

I run GWX 3.0 and it says i'm at 81%...i use map updates and non-manual TDC. But that seems realistic, considering i don't have a crew in my living room that can manually pencil in map positions, or quickly do all the math for the TDC and range finding while i'm busy commanding the boat. If i had a buddy who hung out and helped me during my patrols, i'd probably go 100% realism.

20000 Leagues

07-24-15, 07:54 PM

I've altered the cfg to give me 100% because I use the Nav Officer and Map Updates. The reason I do that is because it seems more realistic to me to have members of my crew do their jobs instead of me doing everything. Despite that, I still plot my own courses for interception and calculate my own solutions for trickier targets. Such as going nose to nose with a DD or a zig-zagging ship.

Red Heat

08-04-15, 04:51 PM

When i talk about U-boot im talking about SH3 GWX 3.0 the best simulator about W.W. II. I don't care about sh4 or 5. And when i play sh3 i use to settings to 80-90% real why i don't play at 100%? Because its only a game...and i like to have fun when i play. To much difficulty spoil my Zen status when im in patrol! :D

Rambler241

08-06-15, 03:43 PM

I run at 60% - sounds low, but I just have auto targetting, map updates, stabilised view and external view turned on. The latter is to increase the "fun" aspect, like viewing attacking planes to see how your flack gunner is performing. I think there's a tradeoff between realism and what you're very unrealistically forced to do, like swapping fatigued crew around the boat, which in RL officers and WOs would handle. Also tracking distant (and sometimes not-so-distant) sonar contacts because your sonar man has very strict limitations on what he'll report.

I work hard at sonar tracking, and sinking targets with the deck gun - I expect a bit of slack in other areas of skill and responsibility to balance the whole.

Rambler241

08-08-15, 01:59 AM

With regard to map updates, I'd be in favour of a mod which allowed automatic updating, but only if you or a crew member is able to actually see the targets. For example, when using the attack 'scope at 6x mag., the field of view is quite small, yet anything within visible range is plotted on the map, even those behind the viewer (you of course). If it hasn't actually been seen by anyone, it shouldn't be shown.

WRT auto-targetting with torpedoes, I could have left all fish unfired on my last (12th.) patrol out of Brest in a VIIb and gotten a medal-worthy score. My total haul with the deck gun was a very creditable, but unrealistic historically, 33 vessels, totalling about 117,000 tons. This included:

8 x C3
1 x C2
3 x Small Tanker
8 x Small Merchant
6 x Coastal Merchant
3 x Tug Boat

I almost always attack C2s with torpedoes, as they're very difficult to sink with the deck gun. The C2 listed above was detected in what might have been a final sonar scan on the way back to Brest, south of the Scillies.

With 30 HE and a few starshell in the locker, and all torpedoes fired, it occurred to me to do a save after sighting the C2, which was heading almost due S, towards northern Spain. The first attempt took 15 shells, a reload and a retry failed to sink it with all the 30 shells, despite its decks being awash, and the final attempt took 20 shells.

The larger C3s took between 5 and 10 shells (including a couple of AP to the engine room) to blow up and sink.